A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Bangladesh Meteorological Department and Bangladesh Red Crescent Society auxiliary to the government on 11 February 2021. Feroz Salah Uddin, Secretary General of Bangladesh Red Crescent Society signed on behalf of the BDRCS and Shamsuddin Ahmed, Director of Bangladesh Meteorological Department signed on behalf of the Bangladesh Meteorological Department in the presence of Dr. Md. Abu Hena Mostofa Kamal, NDC, Senior Secretary, Ministry of Defense of the Government of Bangladesh. Head of Delegation of IFRC, country representative of German Red Cross, country Representatives from America Red Cross were also present in the ceremony.
This mutual cooperation in implementing Forecast-based Financing/Action programme for taking necessary early actions before landfall of Cyclone in Bangladesh with the exchange of knowledge and forecast in time. As an auxiliary to the government, Bangladesh Red Crescent Society implementing Forecast-based Financing project in cyclone and flood prone districts and early actions based on the credible forecast before the extreme events. Based on the forecast from meteorological department for Cyclone, BDRCS evacuates most vulnerable groups of people and provides dry food support, safe drinking water, oral saline, quick first aid support etc. to the injured in the high-risk areas. To implement early action before the landfall of cyclone uninterruptible forecast and data is necessary which is being provided by the meteorological department with skill. This cooperation will help in achieving sustainable development goal of the government by improving the socio-economic condition of the country at the local level reducing the humanitarian loss/injuries impending by a natural disaster like cyclone, and will increase in mutual cooperation through the exchange of knowledge, forecast and data services.